WoodworkingONLINE.com

ShopNotes magazine has finally given its readers a practical reason to download Google’s design and drawing software — SketchUp. In Issue No. 102, the magazine features a great plan for a Cabinetmaker’s Workbench. And for the first time, they’re providing an Online Extra feature that I think is really cool — a SketchUp model of the workbench in 3-D.

If you’re familiar with the program, you know how powerful a tool it is. And if you’re new to it, Google has provided dozens of video tutorials, an extensive Help Center and even live training classes that make it easy to start modeling your own projects right away.

ShopNotes associate editor Randy Maxey came up with the idea to add the model to the magazines’ website. He thought it would be fun to provide readers with a professionally-designed project that they can actually take apart to really get a feel for the way it goes together before deciding to build it. And best of all, if you want to modify the workbench — make it taller, longer, or even change it to feature an edge-grain top — you can take the model and make any changes you want to reflect your particular needs.

Other free downloads at the website include plans for the drawers, a short video animation of the workbench’s best features, and a fraction-to-decimal conversion chart.

On August 8, I wrote about how to get our younger generation involved and interested in woodworking. Even Governor Schwarzenegger realizes the value of vocational education as “a way to deter dropouts and to train needed craftspeople” (read the complete story here).

Another great way to involve youth and get them interested in woodworking is through your local 4-H clubs. Read the rest of this article »

I was reading this thread on WoodNET and it got me to thinking.  Even if you have a shop full of power tools, or “tailed apprentices” some might call them, hand planes have a place in your workshop.  Some woodworkers use hand planes to get that glass-smooth surface after they’ve run the workpiece through their jointer and planer.  Others just enjoy the process of working wood mostly by hand and will dimension and surface stock with hand planes.  Jeff Gorman lives in the U.K. and has a great web site for woodworkers.  He talks about dimensioning stock here.

But I use hand planes for a lot of other things in my shop like smoothing an edge, leveling a joint, or adding chamfers, just to name a few.  I have a nice collection of old Stanley planes, but when I recently built a dining room table, I needed a smoothing plane like a Stanley 4-1/2 that worked better than…well…my Stanley 4-1/2.

So I recently ordered a Veritas Low Angle Smooth Plane from Lee Valley.  I looked at Lie-Nielsen’s Low Angle Smoothing Plane, but decided that I liked the design and price of the Veritas plane better.  I haven’t received my plane yet, so I’ve yet to see how well it performs.  I’ll post an update after I’ve had a chance to use it in my shop.

I’m real interested in hearing your opinions about the use of hand planes (and hand tools in general) in the shop.  Do you use them at all?  For what?  Do you hate them?  Want to learn more about them?  Can’t see the reason to use them?  Let me know your thoughts! 

A few interesting links sent to me by Randy Maxey, an assistant editor with Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines:

Creating Customer Trust

Ryobi Radial Arm Saw Recall

Porter-Cable Cordless Nailer Recall

Super Shop

Randy will be posting his thoughts soon as a regular contributing editor to WoodworkingONLINE.com